Two-thirds of septic tanks failing inspections

TWO-THIRDS of septic tanks are failing inspections.

The majority fail because they are not maintained correctly, senior executive officer Martin Keating told councillors in the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District.

Raising the issue, Councillor Paul McNamara said many of the failed tanks were constructed 10 to 15 years ago and adhered to their grants of planning permission.

Now homeowners found themselves facing upgrades or replacement of tanks at a cost of maybe €8-10,000, at a time in life where they didn't have spare income with young families, etc.

These people needed assistance and it shouldn't be a case where they were going to be penalised, he said.

Mr. Keating had some good news on that front in that the grant level has gone up to 95%, or €5,000, and income limits don't apply any more.

He explained how two-thirds of tanks are failing and in the majority of cases it was not because the site wasn't suitable, it was because people don't maintain their tanks and they don't desludge them.

“There is a huge deficit on maintenance,” he said, and in some of the more mechanical systems they found they weren't turned on.

Most of the tanks that fail don't require to be replaced – they require maintenance.